U.S. patent number 7,675,209 [Application Number 11/670,371] was granted by the patent office on 2010-03-09 for electric motor cooling jacket.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Honeywell International Inc.. Invention is credited to Long K. Duong, Mike M. Masoudipour.
United States Patent |
7,675,209 |
Masoudipour , et
al. |
March 9, 2010 |
Electric motor cooling jacket
Abstract
A cooling jacket of an electric motor or generator includes a
cylindrical inner sleeve, a cylindrical outer sleeve coaxially
surrounding the inner sleeve and forming a circular space between
the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve, and a passageway extending
within the circular space between the outer sleeve and the inner
sleeve. The passageway may be a continuous winding path that may
extend axially back and forth along the circumference of said inner
sleeve. An embodiment of the present invention provides a cooling
jacket that is suitable for, but not limited to, applications in
the aircraft and aerospace industries, for example in
air-conditioning systems. The cooling jacket as in one embodiment
of the present invention may be leak proof and water tight, has a
compact design, and may be easily assembled and integrated into an
electrically driven machine, such as an electrically driven
compressor.
Inventors: |
Masoudipour; Mike M. (Rancho
Palos Verdes, CA), Duong; Long K. (Lakewood, CA) |
Assignee: |
Honeywell International Inc.
(Morristown, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
39092795 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/670,371 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20080185924 A1 |
Aug 7, 2008 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
310/89;
310/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02K
5/20 (20130101); Y10T 29/49359 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
H02K
9/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;310/89,52-64 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Le; Dang D
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Caglar, Esq.; Oral
Claims
We claim:
1. A cooling jacket, comprising: a cylindrical inner sleeve; a
cylindrical outer sleeve, wherein said outer sleeve coaxially
surrounds said inner sleeve as a single die-cast piece forming a
circular space between said outer sleeve and said inner sleeve and
wherein said inner sleeve includes a cylindrical inner surface and
a cylindrical bearing housing, wherein said circular space is
hollow and receives a stator of an electric motor or generator and
wherein said stator includes windings and end turns of the
windings, and wherein said bearing housing is axially placed within
said circular space; a passageway extending within said circular
space between said outer sleeve and said inner sleeve, wherein said
passageway is a continuous winding path that extends axially back
and forth along the circumference of said inner sleeve; and a
potting material disposed between the end turns of the windings and
the cylindrical inner surface of the inner sleeve.
2. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein said inner sleeve
includes a cylindrical outer surface and a plurality of fins,
wherein said fins extend vertically from said outer surface into
said circular space between said outer sleeve and said inner
sleeve, and wherein said fins are positioned in an
interlocking-finger arrangement and form said passageway.
3. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein said outer sleeve is
permanently attached to said inner sleeve by exactly two weld
joints and wherein said two weld joints hermetically seal said
circular space between said outer sleeve and said inner sleeve.
4. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein said inner sleeve
includes an end section, wherein said end section includes two
openings positioned across from each other, wherein each of said
two openings provides access to said circular space between said
outer sleeve and said inner sleeve and to said passageway, wherein
a first of said two openings is an inlet for a cooling liquid, and
wherein a second of said two openings is an outlet for said cooling
liquid.
5. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein said inner sleeve
includes an end section, wherein said end section includes a
plurality of mounting holes, wherein said mounting holes assist
integration of said cooling jacket into an electrically driven
machine.
6. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein said outer sleeve
includes a smooth cylindrical inner surface, and wherein outer
sleeve fits tight around said inner sleeve.
7. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein said outer sleeve and
said inner sleeve are a single investment cast piece or injection
molded piece.
8. The cooling jacket of claim 1, wherein said outer sleeve and
said inner sleeve are manufactured out of aluminum or aluminum
alloy.
9. The cooling jacket of claim 1, further including a stator stop,
wherein said stator stop is an axially extending area of an inner
surface of said inner sleeve that has a smaller diameter that
adjacent areas, and wherein said stator stop contacts an end of a
stator of said electric motor or generator.
10. A cooling jacket of a dry-liquid cooled electric motor or
generator, comprising: a cylindrical inner sleeve extending
longitudinally along an axis, wherein said inner sleeve forms a
cylindrical hollow space, and wherein said hollow space receives a
stator of said electric motor or generator wherein said inner
sleeve includes non-axially extending portions and wherein a
potting material is disposed between the non-axially extending
portions and the stator; a cylindrical outer sleeve, wherein said
outer sleeve coaxially surrounds said inner sleeve forming a
circular space between said outer sleeve and said inner sleeve; a
first and a second weld joint, wherein said first and said second
weld joint permanently attach said outer sleeve to said inner
sleeve and hermetically seal said circular space between said outer
sleeve and said inner sleeve; a plurality of fins that form a
passageway, wherein said passageway is a continuous winding path
that extends axially back and forth along the circumference of said
inner sleeve within said circular space between said outer sleeve
and said inner sleeve; a first opening and a second opening,
wherein said first and second opening are positioned across from
each other, and wherein said first and second opening provide
access to said circular space between said inner sleeve and said
outer sleeve and are in fluid connection with said passageway; a
cylindrical bearing housing, wherein said bearing housing is
integrated into said inner sleeve and is axially placed within said
hollow space formed by said inner sleeve, and wherein said bearing
housing receives a bearing of said electric motor or generator; and
a stator stop, wherein said stator stop is an axially extending
area of said inner surface of said inner sleeve that has a smaller
diameter that adjacent areas, and wherein said stator stop contacts
an end of a stator of said electric motor or generator.
11. The cooling jacket of claim 10, wherein said fins are arranged
in parallel to each other, wherein said fins are positioned in an
interlocking-finger arrangement, wherein said fins extend axially
along and vertically from said outer surface within said circular
space, wherein each two fins define a portion of said
passageway.
12. The cooling jacket of claim 10, wherein said inner sleeve
extends from a front end to a back end, wherein said inner sleeve
includes an end section at said back end and a cylindrical outer
surface, wherein said outer surface extends for a length from a
first wall located at said front end to a second wall located
proximate to said end section, and wherein said first and second
opening are included in said end section.
13. The cooling jacket of claim 12, wherein said fins coverer most
of said length of said outer surface of said inner sleeve, and
wherein said fins alternate ending short of said first wall and
said second wall.
14. The cooling jacket of claim 10, wherein said passageway
includes a first and second portion each having a larger width than
the remainder of said passageway, wherein said first portion is in
fluid connection with said first opening, and wherein said second
portion is in fluid connection with said second opening.
15. The cooling jacket of claim 10, wherein said inner surface of
said inner sleeve further includes an axially extending section,
wherein said axially extending section receives said stator of said
electric motor or generator, and wherein said axially extending
section realizes direct contact between said cooling jacket and
said stator.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to electric
motors/generators and electrically driven compressors and, more
particularly, to a cooling jacket of a dry-liquid cooled electric
motor/generator and a method for dry liquid cooling an electric
motor/generator of an electrically driven compressor.
Electric motors or generators typically generate a substantial
amount of heat during operation, especially if operated at high
speeds. Consequently, an electric motor or generator needs to be
cooled in order to avoid damage and to ensure smooth and efficient
operation of the motor or generator. Since the heat transfer
coefficient for cooling using a liquid is generally much higher
than the heat transfer coefficient for air, the stator of an
electric motor or generator is often cooled with a liquid
coolant.
During wet liquid cooling, the stator iron stack and the stator
winding end turns are typically completely immersed in a cooling
liquid, such as oil. Heat is extracted from the stator by
conducting the heat from the stator core and winding to the cooling
liquid. Wet liquid cooling of the stator requires sealing the rotor
from the space surrounding the stator and is limited to the use of
nonconductive liquids, since the stator winding end turns typically
are immersed in the cooling liquid as well.
Dry liquid cooling of the stator is often used as an alternative to
wet liquid cooling and utilizes in many cases a cooling jacket that
surrounds the iron stack and winding of the stator, for example,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,220,233, 5,923,108, 6,617,715, and 6,909,210. A
cooling liquid, which may be a conductive liquid such as water or a
water-based cooling liquid, is typically circulated through
channels within the cooling jacket and heat is transferred from the
stator through direct contact of the stator with the cooling
jacket.
Even though the application of cooling jackets for dry liquid
cooling is well known in the art, prior art cooling jackets often
have high manufacturing costs, require extensive and complex
sealing arrangements, often are not leak proof, and may not
distribute the cooling liquid evenly--causing hot spots on the
stator core. U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,561, for example, discloses a
cooling jacket where the cooling liquid enters the cooling jacket
axially in an inclined plane and exits the cooling jacket radially
from an inclined plane, which may cause pressure losses in the
liquid cooling loop. In other prior art cooling jackets, for
example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,220,233 and 3,567,975, the cooling liquid
travels in helical channels and enters/exits these channels
radially, which may lead to even higher pressure losses and uneven
distribution of the cooling liquid.
Many prior art cooling jackets, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,900,561 and 6,617,715, utilize "o"-rings to seal the inner and
outer pieces of the cooling jackets. Such "o"-rings may not be leak
proof and pressure tight and may show wear over long periods of
operation, which may lead to high maintenance or repair costs.
Other prior art cooling jackets, for example, U.S. Pat. No.
5,923,108 may be manufactured form cast iron and, therefore, may be
too heavy for aerospace applications. Furthermore, cooling jackets
manufactured from iron-based materials may be prone to corrosion.
Corrosion products that may build-up within the cooling jacket over
time may cause degradation of the heat transfer capability of the
cooling jacket.
As can be seen, there is a need for a cooling jacket that is leak
proof and pressure tight, that minimizes pressure losses in the
liquid cooling loop, and that has a reduced susceptibility to
corrosion. Furthermore, there is a need for a cooling jacket that
may be manufactured at a lower cost and that may be easier to
assemble and to integrate into electrically driven machines than
prior art cooling jackets. Still further, there is a need for a
method for dry liquid cooling an electric motor or generator, which
has a higher cooling efficiency than prior art dry liquid cooling
methods and is also applicable in the aerospace industry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a cooling jacket comprises
a cylindrical inner sleeve, a cylindrical outer sleeve, and a
passageway. The outer sleeve coaxially surrounds the inner sleeve
forming a circular space between the outer sleeve and the inner
sleeve. The passageway extends within the circular space between
the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve and is a continuous winding
path that extends axially back and forth along the circumference of
the inner sleeve.
In another aspect of the present invention, a cooling jacket of a
dry-liquid cooled electric motor or generator comprises a
cylindrical inner sleeve extending longitudinally along an axis, a
cylindrical outer sleeve, a first and a second weld joint, a
plurality of fins that form a passageway, a first opening and a
second opening, a cylindrical bearing housing, and a stator stop.
The inner sleeve forms a cylindrical hollow space, and the hollow
space receives a stator of the electric motor or generator. The
outer sleeve coaxially surrounds the inner sleeve forming a
circular space between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve. The
first and the second weld joint permanently attach the outer sleeve
to the inner sleeve and hermetically seal the circular space
between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve. The passageway is a
continuous winding path that extends axially back and forth along
the circumference of the inner sleeve within the circular space
between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve. The first and second
opening are positioned across from each other, provide access to
the circular space between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve,
and are in fluid connection with the passageway. The bearing
housing is integrated into the inner sleeve and is axially placed
within the hollow space formed by the inner sleeve and receives a
bearing of the electric motor or generator. The stator stop is an
axially extending area of the inner surface of the inner sleeve
that has a smaller diameter that adjacent areas and contacts an end
of a stator of the electric motor or generator.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for dry
liquid cooling an electric motor or generator comprises the steps
of: axially passing a cooling liquid from a back end of a cooling
jacket through a first opening into a passageway of the cooling
jacket, letting the cooling liquid flow axially back and forth
through the passageway along both sides of the circumference of an
inner surface of the cooling jacket, and axially passing the
cooling liquid out of the passageway of the cooling jacket through
a second opening positioned at the back end and across from the
first opening.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present
invention will become better understood with reference to the
following drawings, description and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective cut-away view of an electric motor cooling
jacket according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear view of an electric motor cooling jacket according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view along line 3-3 of the
electric motor cooling jacket of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional front view of an inner sleeve of a
cooling jacket according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 4B is a spread-out top view of an inner sleeve of a cooling
jacket according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an electrically
driven compressor according to an embodiment of the present
invention; and
FIG. 6 is a flow chart representing a method for dry liquid cooling
an electric motor according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following detailed description is of the best currently
contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description
is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the
purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,
since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended
claims.
Broadly, the present invention provides a cooling jacket of a
dry-liquid cooled electric motor or generator and a method for dry
liquid cooling an electric motor or generator. In one embodiment,
the present invention provides a cooling jacket of an electric
motor or generator that is leak proof and pressure tight, that has
a compact design that eliminates the need for "o"-rings, that can
be manufactured at a low cost, and that may be easily assembled and
integrated into an electrically driven machine, such as an
electrically driven compressor. An embodiment of the present
invention provides a cooling jacket that is suitable for, but not
limited to, applications in the aircraft and aerospace industries,
for example, in air-conditioning systems. The cooling jacket and
method for dry liquid cooling an electric motor or generator as in
one embodiment of the present invention may be suitable, but not
limited to, cooling a high power density electric motor or
generator. Furthermore, the cooling jacket as in an embodiment of
the present invention may be used in connection with any electric
motor or generator that requires dry liquid cooling.
In contrast with the prior art, where a variety of seals and
"o"-rings are used to seal the inner and outer parts of the cooling
jacket, the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present
invention consists of only two parts, an inner sleeve and an outer
sleeve that are connected to each other by two weld joints to form
a leak proof and pressure tight cooling jacket. Therefore, by using
the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present invention,
prior art seals and "o"-rings may be eliminated along with the risk
of leakage.
In further contrast to the prior art where iron-based materials are
used, the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present
invention may be manufactured out of aluminum or aluminum alloys
that are suitable for pressure die casting, investment casting, or
injection molding. By using aluminum or aluminum alloys, the
susceptibility to corrosion may be reduced and over time loss of
heat transfer capability caused by corrosion products may be
prevented. Also, by using aluminum and aluminum alloys, the cooling
jacket as in one embodiment of the present invention may be
lightweight.
In still further contrast to prior art cooling jackets that
typically are machined, a casting process, such as pressure die
casting, investment casting, or injection molding, may be used to
manufacture the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present
invention. Using a casting or molding process to manufacture the
cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present invention may
allow reducing the number of parts that need to be assembled to
two, whereas prior art cooling jackets often include more than two
parts that need to be assembled. Furthermore, using a casting or
molding process to manufacture the cooling jacket instead of prior
art machining may enable building features--such as an integrated
bearing housing and an integrated stop for the stator iron
stack--directly into the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the
present invention. Integration of such features may enable simple
and easy integration of the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of
the present invention into an electrically driven machine, such as
a compressor. Since bearing alignments are crucial in the assembly
of an machine, integrating installation guides and bearing housings
into the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present
invention may also eliminate the need to match set housings during
the installation process of the cooling jacket into the
electrically driven machine, for example, a cabin air compressor of
an aircraft. Consequently, the manufacturing and installation costs
of the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present invention
may be reduced compared to manufacturing and installation costs of
prior art cooling jackets.
In still further contrast to the prior art where channels in which
the cooling liquid moves are often arranged radially and the
cooling liquid travels circumferentially in the helical channels,
the inner sleeve of the cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the
present invention may include fins that form axially oriented
passageways in which the cooling liquid may travel
circumferentially in an axial direction. When the cooling liquid
enters and exits the cooling jacket axially and when the cooling
liquid travels axially within the cooling jacket, as in one
embodiment of the present invention, then the pressure loss within
the liquid cooling loop may be minimized. Still further, the
passageway as in one embodiment of the present invention enables
the cooling liquid to stay and travel within the cooling jacket for
a longer time, increasing the efficiency of the heat transfer from
the stator to the cooling jacket compared to prior art cooling
jackets.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a cooling jacket 10
of an electric motor 40 (shown in FIG. 5) is illustrated according
to an embodiment of the present invention. The cooling jacket 10
may also be used for cooling an electric generator 40. The cooling
jacket 10 may extend longitudinally along an axis 11 from a front
end 35 to a back end 36. The cooling jacket 10 may include an outer
sleeve 12 shown cut away and an inner sleeve 13. The outer sleeve
12 and the inner sleeve 13 may both have a cylindrical shape and
may extend coaxially along the axis 11. The outer sleeve 12 may
surround the inner sleeve 13 forming a circular space 19 between
the outer sleeve 12 and the inner sleeve 13.
The inner sleeve 13 may have a cylindrical outer surface 22 that
may extend axially from the front end 35 for a length 18 (FIG. 3).
A first vertical wall 331 may extend vertically at the front end 35
and a second vertical wall 332 may extend vertically proximate to
the backend 36. Walls 331 and 332 may define the length 18. The
inner sleeve 13 may include a plurality of fins 14 that may extend
vertically from the outer surface 22 (shown in FIG. 3) into the
circular space 19 (shown in FIG. 3) along the circumference of the
inner sleeve 13. The fins 14 may be positioned in an
interlocking-finger arrangement to form a passageway 15. The
passageway 15 may allow a cooling liquid 30 (FIGS. 4B and 5) to
travel axially along the circumference of the inner sleeve 13. The
passageway 15 may be a continuous winding path that extends axially
along the circumference of the inner sleeve 13 within the circular
space 19 and that enables the cooling liquid 30 to travel axially
back and forth over the length 18 (shown in FIG. 3) of the inner
sleeve 13 along the circumference of the inner sleeve 13. The
cooling liquid 30 may be a water-based liquid coolant, for example,
a propylene glycol water (PGW) coolant that may contain about 60%
propylene glycol and about 40% water.
At the back end 36, the inner sleeve 13 may include an end section
16. The end section 16 may include two openings 17 positioned
across from each other. Each of the openings 17 may provide access
to the space 19 (shown in FIG. 3) between the outer sleeve 12 and
the inner sleeve 13 and to the passageway 15. Each of the openings
17 may be used as either an inlet or an outlet for the cooling
liquid 30, whereas always a first opening 17 may function as an
inlet for the cooling liquid 30 and the other, second opening 17
may function as an outlet for the cooling liquid 30, concurrently.
Each of the openings 17 may be in fluid connection with a portion
151 of the passageway 15. The passageway 15 may include two
portions 151 leading either to or from the openings 17 that may
have a larger width than the remaining portions of the passageway
15.
The end section 16 may further include mounting holes 20 and 32
that assist integration of the cooling jacket 10 into an
electrically driven machine, such as a compressor 50 (as shown in
FIG. 5). The inner sleeve 13 may further have a cylindrical inner
surface 21 that forms a hollow space 23 for receiving a stator 41
of an electric motor or generator 40 (shown in FIG. 5). The inner
sleeve 13 may further include a cylindrical bearing housing 24
axially placed within the hollow space 23 proximate to the end
section 16 (also shown in FIG. 3).
The outer sleeve 12 may have a smooth cylindrical inner surface 25
and may be coaxially disposed around the inner sleeve 13. The outer
sleeve 12 may fit tight on the inner sleeve 13 but may not
completely seal the passageways 15 and 151. Each, the outer sleeve
12 and the inner sleeve 13, may be manufactured as a single piece
cast during pressure die-casting, investment casting, or injection
molding. The outer sleeve 12 and the inner sleeve 13 may be
manufactured from aluminum and aluminum alloys.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a rear view of the cooling jacket 10 of
the electric motor or generator 40 (shown in FIG. 5) is illustrated
according to an embodiment of the present invention. Shown in FIG.
2 is the end section 16 including the openings 17, the opening 26
of the bearing housing 24, and the mounting holes 20 and 32. The
opening 26 of the bearing housing may be positioned in the center
27 of the cooling jacket 10. The mounting holes 20 may be evenly
distributed along the circumference of the end section 16 in close
proximity to the outer edge of the end section 16. Mounting holes
20 may receive bolts 28 (FIG. 5) and mounting holes 20 and 32 may
assist the installation of the cooling jacket 10 in the compressor
50 (FIG. 5). A line 3-3 may vertically advance through the center
27 of the cooling jacket 10. As can be seen, the openings 17 may be
centered on the line 3-3.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional side view along line 3-3
of the cooling jacket 10 of FIG. 2 is illustrated according to an
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a vertical
cross-section through the center of the openings 17. The cooling
jacket 10 may extend axially from a front end 35 to a back end 36.
An end section 16 may be positioned at the back end 36. As shown,
each opening 17 may be in fluid connection with a portion 151 of
the passageway 15. The bearing housing 24 may be integrated in the
inner sleeve 13 in close proximity to the end section 16 and may
extend coaxially along axis 11. The outer sleeve 12 may be
coaxially disposed around the inner sleeve 13. Two weld joints 29
may secure the outer sleeve 12 to the inner sleeve 13 and may
hermetically seal the circular space 19 between the outer sleeve 12
and the inner sleeve 13. The first weld 29 joint may be positioned
where the outer sleeve 12 meets the end section 16 of the inner
sleeve 13 and the second weld joint 29 may be positioned where the
outer sleeve 12 meets the vertical wall 331 that may be positioned
opposite from the front end 35. By permanently attaching the outer
sleeve 12 to the inner sleeve 13 with two weld joints 29, the
cooling jacket 10 may be pressure tight and leak proof.
The cylindrical inner surface 21 of the inner sleeve 13 may include
a stator stop 31, which may be an axially extending area of the
inner surface that may have a smaller diameter than the adjacent
areas. The stator stop 31 may contact an end of the stator 41 of
the electric motor or generator 40 (FIG. 5). By integrating the
stator stop 31 in the cooling jacket 10, the installation of the
cooling jacket 10 on the electric motor or generator 40 may be
simplified. The inner surface 21 may further include an axially
extending section 34 for receiving the iron stack 42 (FIG. 5) of an
electric motor or generator 40. The section 34 may be positioned
adjacent to the stator stop 31 and between the front end 35 and the
stator stop 31 and may have a diameter that may be larger than the
diameter of the stator stop 31. The diameter of the section 34 may
be chosen such that the section 34 is in direct contact with the
iron stack 42 (FIG. 5).
Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a cross-sectional front view and
a spread-out top view of an inner sleeve 13 of a cooling jacket 10
is illustrated, respectively, according to an embodiment of the
present invention. As can be seen, the fins 14 may be arranged in
parallel to each other. The fins 14 may extend axially in the
direction of the axis 11 covering most of the length 18 of the
inner sleeve 13. The fins 14 may alternate ending short of the wall
331 and the wall 332. Each two fins 14 that are positioned next to
each other may define a portion of the passageway 15
therebetween.
The passageway 15 may be a continuous winding path that extends
around the circumference of the inner sleeve 13. A cooling liquid
30 may axially travel along the passageway 15 back and forth over
the entire length 18. The cooling liquid 30 may enter the
passageway 15 at one of the opening 17 and may flow in the
direction indicated by arrows 37 toward the other opening 17. The
portions 151 of the passageway 15 where the cooling liquid 30 may
enter or exit the passageway 15 may have a width that may be wider
than the remaining portions of the passageway 15. The cooling
liquid 30 may enter the passageway 15 though a first opening 17,
which may extend through the wall 332. The cooling liquid 30 may
travel axially within a first portion 151 of the passageway 15
towards the wall 331 at the front end 35 of the cooling jacket 10.
Due to the narrowing of the passageway 15 when leaving the first
portion 151, the flow of the cooling liquid 30 may split and the
cooling liquid 30 may travel in the passageway 15 to the right and
to the left simultaneously. The cooling liquid 30 may travel
simultaneously in both directions, to the left and to the right,
along the circumference of the inner sleeve 13 in axial direction
back and forth until it reaches the second portion 151 of the
passageway 15 leading to the second opening 17. Since the cooling
liquid 30 arrives at the second portion 151 from the left and from
the right it may be forced to enter the second portion 151 and to
travel in axially direction towards the second opening 17, which
may extend through the wall 332. As can be seen, the cooling liquid
30 may enter the passageway 15 of the cooling jacket 10 axially
from the back end 36. The cooling liquid 30 may further exit the
passageway 15 of the cooling jacket 10 through the back end 36.
Either opening 17 may be used as exit or entrance for the cooling
liquid 30. The flow 37 of the cooling liquid 30 is independent from
the position, such as vertical or horizontal, of the openings 17
and, therefore, the cooling jacket 10 may be suitable for
applications in the aerospace industry. By axially traveling back
and forth, the cooling liquid 30 may stay for a relatively long
time within the passageway 15, which may enable relatively high
heat transfer efficiency.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a schematic cross-sectional side view of
an electrically driven compressor 50 is illustrated according to an
embodiment of the present invention. The compressor 50 may include
an electric motor 40, a compressor housing 51, a connector housing
52, a compressor wheel 53, a tie rod 54, and bearings 55. The
electric motor 40 may include a cooling jacket 10, a stator 41
having an iron stack 42 and a winding 46 with end turns 44, and a
rotor 45. The tie rod 54 may connect the compressor wheel 53 with
the rotor 45 of the motor 40. The cooling jacket 10 may be
integrated in the assembly of the compressor 50 and may be
sandwiched between the compressor housing 51 and the connector
housing 52. Bolts 28 may secure the cooling jacket 10 to the
compressor housing 51 via mounting holes 20. The connector housing
52 may be connected to the cooling jacket 10 utilizing mounting
holes 32. The compressor 50 may be any type of electrically driven
compressor, such as an air compressor, that uses dry liquid
cooling.
The axially extending section 34 of the inner surface 21 of the
inner sleeve 13 may be in direct contact with the outer diameter of
the iron stack 42 of the stator 41. The remaining inner surface 21
of the inner sleeve 13 may be in contact with a potting material
43. The potting material 43 may fill the space between end turns 44
of the stator winding 46 and the inner surface 21 of the inner
sleeve 13 of the cooling jacket 10. Through indirect contact, the
cooling liquid 30 axially traveling in the passageway 15 of the
cooling jacket 10 in the direction indicated by arrows 37 may draw
heat from the stator 41 including the stator iron stack 42 the
winding 46, and the end turns 44 of the stator winding 46. The
length 18, over which the cooling liquid 30 may axially travel, may
cover the entire length of the iron stack 42 and the stator winding
46 including end turns 44, which may enable a relatively high heat
transfer efficiency.
As can be seen in FIG. 5, the bearing housing 24 may be integrated
into the inner sleeve 13 of the cooling jacket 10 and may be sized
to receive the bearings 55, which may be, for example, air-foil
bearings. The bearing housing 24 may assist the bearing alignment
during assembly of the compressor 50 and may, therefore, eliminate
the need to match set housings, for example, the compressor housing
51, the connector housing 52, the bearing housing 24 and a cooling
housing, such as the cooling jacket 10.
Referring now to FIG. 6, a flow chart representing a method 60 for
dry liquid cooling an electric motor or generator 40 is illustrated
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method 60
may involve a step 61 where a cooling jacket 10 may be installed
around a stator 41 an electric motor or generator 40. In a
following step 62, direct contact of the inner surface 21 of the
inner sleeve 13 of the cooling jacket 10 with the outer diameter of
the iron stack 42 of the stator 41 may be realized. Further
realized may be direct contact of the inner surface 21 of the inner
sleeve 13 of the cooling jacket 10 with potting material 43 in a
step 63. The potting material 43 may fill the space between the
inner surface 21 of the inner sleeve 13 of the cooling jacket 10
and the end turns 33 of the winding 46 of the stator 41.
A step 64 may involve axially passing a cooling liquid 30 from the
back end 36 of the cooling jacket 10 through a first opening 17
into the passageway 15. A following step 65 may involve letting the
cooling liquid 30 axially flow through the passageway 15 along both
sides of the circumference of the inner sleeve 13 of the cooling
jacket 10.
In a step 66, heat may be drawn from the iron stack 42, the winding
46, and the end turns 44 of the winding 46 with the cooling liquid
30. In a final step 67, the now heated cooling liquid 30 may
axially pass through a second opening 17, which may be positioned
at the back end 36 of the cooling jacket 10 and across from the
first opening 17, out of the cooling jacket 10. By installing the
cooling jacket 10 at the outer diameter and in direct contact with
the stator 41 of an electric motor or generator 40 as in one
embodiment of the present invention, the stator 41 may be kept cool
and dry during operation of the electric motor or generator 40.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to
exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may
be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as set forth in the following claims.
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